Scarface Discusses Working With Jay-Z, Says DJ Premier Owes Him A Beat

Scarface recalls watching Jay-Z record and says DJ Premier still owes him a beat.

He's enjoyed 20-plus years in the industry, and with the collaborative album Mac & Brad with Beanie Sigelin the works, it looks like Scarface won't be going anywhere anytime soon. Now, in a recent interview with Complex, Face Mob breaks down his extensive discography.

Scarface discussed his relationship with New York veteran Jay-Z, who he met in Los Angeles while recording The Last of a Dying Breed. He recalled being stunned by the incredible speed with which Hov recorded his lyrics, not realizing that the Brooklyn rhymer never physically wrote his lyrics.

“I met Jay-Z in 1998 or 1999. I was recording The Last of a Dying Breed and Jay-Z was out there doing something in L.A. and I met him," he recalled. "Jay-Z came in to lay a couple records down for me. He was so damn fast it was sick the shit that he did. For the longest I thought he had pre-written shit and he would drop that down. But as time went on, I realized he was a freak of nature. He can hear a beat three times, listen to the beat ride once all the way through, and then lay his verse. I’ll be at the board writing my verse and he’ll already be gone. He’ll come in there sit, chat, and laugh, and then the beat will come on and he’ll write that shit in the middle of a conversation. The music will be playing and he’ll zero in and be like, ‘Ooh, ooh,’ and then lay that shit.”

Face also recalled linking up with Guru and DJ Premier on the song "Betrayal" from Gang Starr's 1998 album Moment of Truth. According to the Houston emcee, he contributed his verse in exchange for a Premo beat, but the H-Town producer has yet to lace him with production.

"They sent me a verse, and a beat for me to write my part on," he said. "I did it on strength but by the end of the day, Premier still owed me a beat. He still owes me a beat 20 years later. And every time I talked to him he’ll be like, ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah, but I didn’t forget about you.’ Bullshit, you forgot about me. That’s my boy though, that’s my partner. H-Town native.”

In addition to his collaborative effort with Beanie Sigel, Scarface is also working on his 12th solo album Rooted.